Baklava (Favorite!)
Content
Baklava
I make this every Christmas with Katie. Because the dough tends to dry out quickly, you need a second person to help spread the layers with butter. She affectionately calls herself “my Butter Bitch.” =)))) Everyone loves this & say it’s the best they’ve ever had! *Note: Open only 1 package of fillo at a time & keep it moist under a towel while you prepare this. We use a paintbrush to spread the melted butter. Butter a large baking pan – 12” x 17” 2 (1 lb. each) packages of Fillo dough (found in the frozen food section) 1 ½ lbs. melted butter (you may need more) 1 ½ lbs. walnuts – chopped finely in a food processor ½ cup sugar ½ tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground cloves Combine the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Place 15 fillo sheets at the bottom of the pan, brushing EACH layer with melted butter. Spread 1/3 of the walnut mixture on the fillo sheets. Place 5 to 6 fillo sheets on top of the walnut mixture & butter those layers. Spread an additional 1/3 of the walnut mixture on top of that. Add another layer of fillo sheets (5 to 6) & butter those. Add the remaining 1/3 of the walnut mixture. Then, you place 15 fillo sheets (butter each!) for the top layer. *Note: If you have any walnut mixture or fillo sheets left, we just make extra layers (with butter) in the middle of it. The top layer always has to have 15+ layers of fillo. Before baking, with a pointed sharp knife, score the Baklava in diamond square shapes cutting only ¾ through to the bottom. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 min. to 1 hour or until golden brown. Let it cool & pour the warm syrup (recipe follows) evenly over the pastry.
Syrup:
In a saucepan, heat to boiling: 2 cups white sugar 1 cup honey 2 cups water 1 lemon - cut in half Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain & cool down to a warm temperature. Pour over the Baklava. It’ll soak in & it’s soooo yummy!
I make this every Christmas with Katie. Because the dough tends to dry out quickly, you need a second person to help spread the layers with butter. She affectionately calls herself “my Butter Bitch.” =)))) Everyone loves this & say it’s the best they’ve ever had! *Note: Open only 1 package of fillo at a time & keep it moist under a towel while you prepare this. We use a paintbrush to spread the melted butter. Butter a large baking pan – 12” x 17” 2 (1 lb. each) packages of Fillo dough (found in the frozen food section) 1 ½ lbs. melted butter (you may need more) 1 ½ lbs. walnuts – chopped finely in a food processor ½ cup sugar ½ tsp. cinnamon 1/8 tsp. ground cloves Combine the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves. Place 15 fillo sheets at the bottom of the pan, brushing EACH layer with melted butter. Spread 1/3 of the walnut mixture on the fillo sheets. Place 5 to 6 fillo sheets on top of the walnut mixture & butter those layers. Spread an additional 1/3 of the walnut mixture on top of that. Add another layer of fillo sheets (5 to 6) & butter those. Add the remaining 1/3 of the walnut mixture. Then, you place 15 fillo sheets (butter each!) for the top layer. *Note: If you have any walnut mixture or fillo sheets left, we just make extra layers (with butter) in the middle of it. The top layer always has to have 15+ layers of fillo. Before baking, with a pointed sharp knife, score the Baklava in diamond square shapes cutting only ¾ through to the bottom. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 min. to 1 hour or until golden brown. Let it cool & pour the warm syrup (recipe follows) evenly over the pastry.
Syrup:
In a saucepan, heat to boiling: 2 cups white sugar 1 cup honey 2 cups water 1 lemon - cut in half Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain & cool down to a warm temperature. Pour over the Baklava. It’ll soak in & it’s soooo yummy!
